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Toddler motor performance and intelligence at school age in preterm born children: A longitudinal cohort study

Kim Vermeulen1, Pauline E van Beek2, I E van der Horst3

  • 1Department of Psychology, Máxima Medical Centre, PO Box 7777, 5500 MB Veldhoven, the Netherlands.

Early Human Development
|February 13, 2022
PubMed

Insights

Fine motor skills in preterm children at age two are linked to higher performance intelligence scores (PIQ) at age eight. Early fine motor assessments can help identify children at risk for lower PIQ.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric neurology
  • Developmental psychology
  • Childhood intelligence

Background:

  • Limited understanding of intelligence score differences (verbal vs. performance) in preterm children.
  • Early motor skills may influence later visual-perceptual and visual-motor abilities, potentially impacting performance intelligence scores (PIQ).

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between motor performance at two years and PIQ at eight years in preterm children.

Main Methods:

  • A cohort of 88 preterm children (<30 weeks gestation) was studied.
  • Motor performance was assessed using the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development-III (BSID-III) at two years.
  • Intelligence was evaluated using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-III-NL (WISC-III-NL) at eight years, measuring PIQ and verbal intelligence scores (VIQ).

Main Results:

  • At two years, mean gross motor score was 9.0 (SD 3.0) and fine motor score was 11.5 (SD 2.3).
  • At eight years, mean PIQ was 94.9 (SD 13.5) and mean VIQ was 101.8 (SD 13.7).
  • A one-point increase in fine motor score correlated with a 1.7-point increase in PIQ; gross motor skills showed no association with PIQ.

Conclusions:

  • Fine motor performance in early childhood is associated with PIQ in school-aged preterm children.
  • Lower fine motor scores predict lower PIQ.
  • Early fine motor skill assessment may aid in identifying preterm children at risk for lower performance intelligence.
Abstract

Keywords:
IntelligenceLongitudinalMotor performancePerformance IQPrematurity

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